Understanding the Air Quality Index as wildfire smoke reaches the Gunnison Valley

Gunnison Valley residents are experiencing hazy skies and poor air quality, so staying informed can help prepare for wildfire smoke events.

Smoke from active fires in western Colorado, Utah, and other parts of the West has reduced visibility across much of the Gunnison Valley in recent weeks. Weather conditions have trapped smoke near the surface, resulting in unhealthy air in some mountain valleys. Late last month, three wildland firefighters perished in the blazes.

Erica Rasmussen, director of marketing and communications at Gunnison Valley Health, said, "GVH has not seen a significant increase recently in patients seeking care for acute symptoms related to wildfire smoke. We believe many community members and visitors who are particularly sensitive to poor air quality, as well as those with underlying respiratory conditions, are taking appropriate precautions by limiting their outdoor exposure during periods of heavy smoke. 

"While summer is a time when many people want to be outside, current conditions serve as an important reminder to pay close attention to local air quality reports and adjust plans accordingly. Reducing outdoor activity and taking protective measures, like moving exercise indoors when possible, can help minimize the health impacts of prolonged smoke exposure."

While many Valley residents are focused on the Gold Mountain Fire, we should also pay attention to wildfires far away.

In an interview with the Gunnison Country Times, Sheryl Magzamen, an epidemiologist at Colorado State University who researches the effects of wildfire smoke on humans and animals, said, “My CSU colleagues and I refer to smoke as a silent epidemic. You want to be safe from fires, but smoke is also harmful to our health. Even if there’s a distant fire you might be safe from the fire itself, but you’re not necessarily safe from the smoke."

Magzamen notes that "Here in the Western United States, air does not have boundaries. In Colorado, we are getting smoke from fires here and downwind [historically] from fires in California, New Mexico, the Pacific Northwest, and Canada.

"That is a huge challenge because in a study of hospitalizations in the Front Range during 2010-2016, we found something very odd. In 2012, we had wildfires there, and during a wildfire smoke event, for asthma, a bellwether indicator, hospitalizations actually went down. Which we didn't expect. When we had long-range transport from wildfires in the Pacific Northwest in 2015, hospitalizations actually increased during the wildfire period. We thought that was strange.

"We know when we are getting local smoke, not only from sensory cues, the smell of fresh wildfires, but also from changes in the sky color and the visibility. Especially when we can't see topographical features like our mountains, then you know there is smoke in the air. In addition, there is a lot of local news coverage of fires, and there may also be evacuation orders, which make us more aware.

“If we think about long-range transport, we may see news coverage of wildfires far away and upwind of us, but we may not think about the smoke actually hitting us. We may also not have the same precautions for these faraway fires as we might for a local one. In those situations, we may not be as aware of the air quality just because there is less messaging. That is a phenomenon we deal with in Colorado."

While smoke and associated particulate matter may be easy to see and may prompt behavioral changes, Magzamen cautions that we should pay attention to both the seen and unseen characteristics. "Usually, those visible cues give us a hint, and because we can be fooled, it is best to check the Air Quality Index (AQI), which was established by the EPA." [Environmental Protection Agency].

Being vigilant when we can't see or smell smoke may be as important as when we do.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) provides real-time measurements of pollution levels, so people can stay informed and take action to protect themselves and their families.

The scale runs from 0 to 500; the higher the number, the worse the air. Readings higher than 100 are considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, and readings above 150 are considered unhealthy for everyone. For several days in late June and early July, the AQI in Gunnison was over 275, a level considered very unhealthy.

Magzamen and others are studying the epidemiological impacts of wildfire smoke in both the short and long term. One finding is that people exposed to wildfire smoke had a decrease in lung function a full year after exposure, compared with people nearby who were not exposed. Another finding was that exposure to wildfire smoke increased influenza cases the following year.

Monitoring AQI can easily become a daily habit, when we check the weather, we can also check our local air quality and if traveling, that of our destination.

Citizens can monitor AQI readings on several websites, including:

colosmokeoutlook.blogspot.com. The iPhone weather app also includes current air quality readings in its daily forecasts. The website IQAir is an excellent source at: iqair.com.